Metallic Creaking/Ticking In Front End

[Whiplash Willy]

My 2013 4Runner SR5 is currently at 45k miles, 100% Stock, and has seen little off-road action.

Lately I have been noticing a metallic creaking/ticking, and sometimes popping noise coming from my front end when making slow (under 25mph) 90* turns. Depending on the turn sometimes it is a single noise, but on worse turns, it will make the noise quickly, multiple times in a row.

It is more frequent/worse when turning and doing an elevation change, like a minor dip, or turning into my driveway (I have an uphill driveway) or driving downhill, then turning. It happens when turning both directions. It is usually worse when I am driving downhill and turning, but seems to happen when one of the front wheels is compressed and turning.

I am going to start looking into the noise this weekend, and start by checking the torque numbers on all parts of my front suspension.

I wanted to see if anyone could give me advice on what could cause noises like this, and maybe suggest what things I should check first.

 

[FJ Cruiser Matt]

Make sure the ball joint boot on your tie rod ends are in good condition. They can make terrible noises that you wouldn't believe. I would also check the boots on your upper and lower control arms to make sure they don't have any gashes.

I hope you find it.

Cheers,
Matt

 

[nevada]

My 2013 4Runner SR5 is currently at 45k miles, 100% Stock, and has seen little off-road action.

Lately I have been noticing a metallic creaking/ticking, and sometimes popping noise coming from my front end when making slow (under 25mph) 90* turns. Depending on the turn sometimes it is a single noise, but on worse turns, it will make the noise quickly, multiple times in a row.

It is more frequent/worse when turning and doing an elevation change, like a minor dip, or turning into my driveway (I have an uphill driveway) or driving downhill, then turning. It happens when turning both directions. It is usually worse when I am driving downhill and turning, but seems to happen when one of the front wheels is compressed and turning.

I am going to start looking into the noise this weekend, and start by checking the torque numbers on all parts of my front suspension.

I wanted to see if anyone could give me advice on what could cause noises like this, and maybe suggest what things I should check first.

it only does it when turned all the way?
check the steering stops. earlier years had this same problem. sometimes you can just put some grease on there to quiet it down. I think there was also a plastic cover you could get to put on it.

im not sure what is available for the 5th gen, or if it even has that style of stop...

 

[rigtec]

"My 2013 4Runner SR5 is currently at 45k miles, 100% Stock, and has seen little off-road action.

Lately I have been noticing a metallic creaking/ticking, and sometimes popping noise coming from my front end when making slow (under 25mph) 90* turns..."

Hi WW,

The sound that you've described sounds much like the sound of a chattering, worn-out/wearing CV Joint. From the factory, the joint assembly is bathed and packed in a high temperature grease and fitted with a tightly sealed rubber boot. But... the c.v. can be damaged at almost any mileage increment, provided that the sealed boot was somehow breached. Once the joint is exposed to the elements, moisture and dirt contaminate the joint causing further damage.

The grease is soon 'Slung' out from it's capsule and then the mated halves (fingers) are inevitably damaged. The 'YouTube' video that I linked demonstrates a vehicle which is likely much further along in it's stages of wear than yours is; this one needs to be replaced right away as safety becomes a 'HUGE' factor in the final stages of excessive lash between the metal parts before a catastrophic fail... see link: https://youtu.be/HlYDsSU-TLo ...hope this helps! Rgds

 

[Whiplash Willy]

it only does it when turned all the way?
check the steering stops. earlier years had this same problem. sometimes you can just put some grease on there to quiet it down. I think there was also a plastic cover you could get to put on it.

im not sure what is available for the 5th gen, or if it even has that style of stop...

Nevada, it doesn't just happen when my wheels are turned all the way, most of the time I would say the wheel turned only half of it's total travel.

Hi WW,

The sound that you've described sounds much like the sound of a chattering, worn-out/wearing CV Joint. From the factory, the joint assembly is bathed and packed in a high temperature grease and fitted with a tightly sealed rubber boot. But... the c.v. can be damaged at almost any mileage increment, provided that the sealed boot was somehow breached. Once the joint is exposed to the elements, moisture and dirt contaminate the joint causing further damage.

The grease is soon 'Slung' out from it's capsule and then the mated halves (fingers) are inevitably damaged. The 'YouTube' video that I linked demonstrates a vehicle which is likely much further along in it's stages of wear than yours is; this one needs to be replaced right away as safety becomes a 'HUGE' factor in the final stages of excessive lash between the metal parts before a catastrophic fail... see link: https://youtu.be/HlYDsSU-TLo ...hope this helps! Rgds

rigtec, thanks for the info! How do I tell if the CV joint is bad? If I check the boots, and they look fine, and I don't see grease anywhere around it, could they still be bad? After listening to the video, the sound I am hearing is more of a higher pitched sequential ticking. More of a matallic or metallic stretching kind of sound.

Like: tick...tick...tick...tick

If I can't figure it out, I will try to record a video, it is difficult though to reproduce every time.


[MENTION=119825]FJ Cruiser Matt[/MENTION], thanks for the info, I will check those as well.

 

[rigtec]

"...How do I tell if the CV joint is bad? If I check the boots, and they look fine, and I don't see grease anywhere around it, could they still be bad?..."

Usually when a cvj is going bad it's accompanied by a severely torn, grease splattering rubber boot. The only other reason that I have seen for a cvj to be bad w/o massive signs of grease spillage is when the joint has been replaced but the grease was neglected at installation (very rare). To test for severe wear: First, set the t/c to two wheel drive. Set the parking break securely and 'Chock' both rear wheels, 'front and back roll'!. Raise the front of the truck until the front tires are both one to two inches off the ground.

Place a block under each lower control arm and lower the jack (wheels both still off the ground). With the shifter in 'Neutral', turn the steering wheel about a half turn (0 deg to 180 deg) and begin to rotate/spin the tire in either direction... Now turn the steering wheel one full turn in the opposite direction and rotate the other wheel... if either cv joint is worn out you should hear sounds similar to that which you've described in your first post. If you cannot duplicate or mimic the metallic clicking/ticking, and there's no grease splatter... then there's likely n/p with the cvj's.

'Best to you'!

 

[Mammoth Man]

Did you ever figure this out? I may have the same issue